To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were charged under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 in each of the last five years. (210124)

The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts for offences under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, in England and Wales, for the years 2002 to 2006 is in the following table.

Charging data are not held by the Ministry of Justice. Information on numbers proceeded against has been provided in lieu of charging data. These data are on the principal offence basis. The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offence for which they were dealt with.

Court proceedings data for 2007 will be available in the autumn of 2008.